Spring bear changes on the table!!!

[Machias]

Please don't take this the wrong way or me being snarky, but you guys can't be surprised by this outcome?!?!  They would have had to do an complete 180 on predator management plans that they have been following for a very long time now.  I'm not surprised at this at all.  They don't want you to kill predators in WA.  More predators equal less game animals which ends up equaling less hunters in the field.  Stuff more and more of you into smaller and smaller game units to chase after fewer and fewer game animals. 

[Bango skank]

Please don't take this the wrong way or me being snarky, but you guys can't be surprised by this outcome?!?!  They would have had to do an complete 180 on predator management plans that they have been following for a very long time now.  I'm not surprised at this at all.  They don't want you to kill predators in WA.  More predators equal less game animals which ends up equaling less hunters in the field.  Stuff more and more of you into smaller and smaller game units to chase after fewer and fewer game animals.

Yeah, but our big win with the fall bear regs really made me optimistic.  Im hoping our new cougar proposal wont be a giant disappointment like the spring bear proposal, but it most likely will be.  Cougars rank even higher on the cuddly wuddly index to the antis.   

[Bango skank]

Meetind during rifle deer, oct 18 / 19.  Has to be intentional.

The commission will also hear a briefing and public comment on proposed amendments to the spring black bear rule (WAC 220-415-080). The proposed amendments include minor permit adjustments in southeast Washington GMUs, mandatory check in of bears harvested, and some boundary clarifications.

During Saturday's meeting, staff will brief the commission on current cougar management. The briefing will include how the department currently manages cougars, the science behind it and comparison to neighboring states.

A full agenda is available online at wdfw.wa.gov/about/commission/meetings. TVW will live stream the meetings at tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2019101048 (Friday) and tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2019101051 (Saturday).

[Bango skank]

I highly doubt it since its mf deer, but is anybody here at the meeting today or going tomorrow?

[Rainier10]

At work today. What was said about the spring bear changes and are you going to be there again tomorrow for the cougar talk?

[Bango skank]

Im not there, im floating around on the bering sea.  Thats why im asking if anybody is there.

[Rainier10]

Im not there, im floating around on the bering sea.  Thats why im asking if anybody is there.

  I think you missed a "t" in your original post.  It read "...is anybody here.."  Be safe out there.  We are having some stormy weather here.

[Bango skank]

I see how what i typed could have been interpreted like that.  I meant is anybody here, as in, is anybody on this website, at the meeting.

[snake]

The 2 bear limit and August opener is one of the most significant changes to Washington hunting regs to occur in the last 20 years in my opinion. 

[Bango skank]

The 2 bear limit and August opener is one of the most significant changes to Washington hunting regs to occur in the last 20 years in my opinion.

I agree, and thats why i was optimistic about getting some substantial spring season improvements.  Pretty disappointed with the spring proposal, but still the august / 2 bear thing has given us what we need to manage bears more effectively.  Would be really nice though to be able to take one of those 2 in the spring every year.  I just dont see why we shouldnt be able to. 

[Bango skank]

So nobody here is attending the meeting today or yesterday?

[Special T]

https://www.tvw.org/watch/?clientID=9375922947&eventID=2019101051

,start about the 30 min mark

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Bango skank]

Anything of significance said? What was the general mood of the speakers there in olympia during mf deer season ?    what was said about cougars?  I cant watch video on my crappy satellite wifi, im in dutch harbor.

[Odell]

Anything of significance said? What was the general mood of the speakers there in olympia during mf deer season ?    what was said about cougars?  I cant watch video on my crappy satellite wifi, im in dutch harbor.

I watched it. I don't know if I have a good understanding of where the commission is at so I could be reading it wrong, but it seems like they are pretty concerned about the rise in conflict with cougars and they are encouraging a new look at the cougar management plan. One commissioner noted the math regarding 12-16% population growth and harvest target and said we aren't killing enough cougars by the numbers. All of it was based on the scientific estimation of the number of cougars in the state. Lots of talk about scientific uncertainty on how to take and manage cougars but for some reason no uncertainty on the estimation of how many we actually have. Generally it seemed like a step in the right direction but there were some very weird comments from commissioners I don't understand, including a strong recommendation to keep public safety and hunting as two complete separate things. I didn't get that. 

Bob McCoy was the only citizen that commented. He said the problem is we are hunting too many cougars.

Lots of public comment from the bass fishing crowd, didn't see anything other public comments on cougar hunting but I might have missed it.

[Special T]

McCoy doesnt sound like he is a sportsmen, nor does it sound like his  organization is...

https://mountainlion.org/aboutboard.php
Bob McCoy

Chair
Issaquah, Washington

Bob started researching Puma concolor and joined the Mountain Lion Foundation in 2009. The following year, he testified against the Washington Cougar Hounding Pilot Program, formed the Washington Cougar Coalition (WA Cougar), and became the Foundation's Washington State Field Representative. Since then, he and volunteers have repeatedly stopped bills that would have harmed cougars. In 2013, Bob represented the Foundation on a panel at the 13th Mountain Lion Workshops in Utah. In 2015, Bob spurred WA Cougar to appeal the Washington Commission's failure to follow proper procedure in setting cougar hunting guidelines. Led by HSUS lawyers, we achieved the first overturn of a citizen commission ruling by a governor in state history. The Commission returned in 2016 to the prior hunting quota. Bob is now working to keep the state from taking measures against cougars in retaliation for the successful return of wolves to Washington. Bob McCoy became a member of the Board of Directors in July 2016.